A Writer’s Paris, a guided journey for the creative soul

by Eric Maisel

This little, 5x7” book with its soft, linen-feel, mustard-colored look reminds me of an authentic Parisian writer’s book. Maisel’s enthusiasm for Paris is contagious. He describes the Place des Vosges, which he believes is “the most beautiful square in the world. Renaissance townhouses have street-level arcades filled with cafes, art galleries, and classical musicians in the summer.” He describes this location as lively, quiet, shady, safe, inviting, and gorgeous. His routine is to write for an hour, move to a cafe table under the arcade for an espresso, write some more, stroll twice around the square, and again, resume his writing.

Maisel is obviously a veteran writer smitten with Paris. He recommends renting a small studio for three to six months and plan a schedule of writing for two hours, stroll, write for two more hours, visit a museum or other interesting place, and write for a last two hours of the day.

He believes “Paris improves your writing because it teaches you something profound about intimacy. You can walk directly to the Seine--it is there for the touching. You can sit down at a cafe table and let life envelop you. You can enter an ancient church and use it as your study. These lessons infiltrate your writing and cause you to write more poignantly. You better understand gestures, epiphanies, and fleeting moments after your Paris education.”

The author writes about a variety of famous writers and where they wrote, challenges they encountered, and solutions they found.

His book cover blurb reads, “Enrich your creative life and write with more intensity than ever before on a spirit-renewing adventure in the City of Light. Experience it not as a tourist but as a creator, where you dedicate yourself to the bohemian writing life in picturesque parks, cafes, and bookstores.

“Writers and other creative souls will be captivated by the metaphor and reality of Paris as the artist’s true home, and how it can inspire you to create. Authored by today’s leading creativity coach, Eric Maisel, it’s an inspirational read, and a dream journey for creatives.”

After reading this book, I was motivated to find my own little Paris somewhere near by. Recently I found my secret spot which contains my own table and chair. The first few minutes I found myself annoyingly entertained by a little girl running in circles and yelling to her young parents, “Look at me! Look at me!” over and over again. They ignored her. I wonder how her four-year-old mind processes that? And that was fodder for what I was writing about.

I had wanted my own Paris with cafes, parks, and buildings with gargoyles protecting their ancient architecture and acting as inspiration for me to write. Here, instead, I have people of all nationalities I can watch. I have decorations declaring the season. I have scenery populated with people of all ages, people scurrying about, vendors opening their kiosks and arranging their goods. I have my own writer’s Paris only a few miles from home, private in that I am essentially unseen, and comfortable enough to be inspired to write. My location almost fits his--”lively, quiet, safe, inviting, and gorgeous.”

What a gift this writer gives to his readers! Taken literally, you could save your money and find a real place to live in Paris for a few months or, like me, you could find your own sanctuary, a place without cost, a place you can chose to leave at any time, a place which allows your mind to stretch and your hand to write. I found mine. Now it’s your turn!